Federico caproni



F CAPRONI.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLHZATIGN HLED JULY 24.19.

731,325,230 Patented Dec. 16,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

a w M" F. CAPRDNI.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mm :un 24, ms.

Patented Dc. 16, 1919.

2 SHiETs-SHEET 2- FEDERIGO CAPBONI, 0F MILAN, ITALY.

FLYING-MA CHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Application filed July 24, 1918. Serial No. 110,850.

To all whom it me concern:

Be it known t at I, Fnnmuco Caraom, a subject of the King of Italy, andresident of 28 Via S. Gregorio, Milan, Italy, have invented certain newand useful Improvements inFlying-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The object the invention IS the constructiomof a multiplane flyingmachine of great power and efficiency and capable of maintaining greatstability in the air and also permitting of easy landing.

The improvements are connected wlth the arrangement of the engines, thesustaining planes, the landing carriage frame and details ofconstructions of such mentioned various parts of the apparatus.

In the annexed drawing is re resented by way of example a triplane emodying the improvements that form the object o the present invention.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 represent respectively a front elevation, a plan viewand a side elevation of a triplane;

Figs. 4 and 5 represent on a larger scale a side View and a plan view ofan essential part of the landing carriage;

Fig. 6 is a detziil view of a portion of said carriage on a largerscale.

The triplane comprises two fuselages 1, 2, symn'ietrically arranged withres set to the center line of the ap aratus. Suc 'fuselages are fixed bytheir ore-ends to the forward body formed b sustaining planes 4, 5, 6.At the rear on of the fuselages 1, 2, are mounted the following planes:A tail plane 7, a horizontal'rudder 3, rotatably coni nected to thehorizontal axle 8, three vertical rudders 9, rotatably mounted on axle10 and joined to one another by means of wires 11, with the view torealizing a simultaneous rotation of same.

The rudder 9 is,' operated by means of wires 12 which extend to pointsad'acent the aviators seat where suitable mcc anism is provided foroperating the wires. The ruder 3 is operated in a similar way by wiresnot shown.

The arrangement of the planes 4, 5,

6 is secured by means of two kinds of uprights 13 and 14, arranged intwo rows respectively on the front and on the rear of the forward body.The uprights 13 are fixed by their ends 15, 16 respectively to theforward longitudinal frames of the planes 4 and 6 and at tached at theircenter to the plane 5. The

uprights 14 are connected at their centers 17 to the rear longitudinalframes of the central plane 5, and by their ends 17 to the longitudinalframes of the planes 4, 6.

On metallic cross-pieces at the points 15 and 17 are joined the stays 18forming the diagonal members of the chassis of the for ward body.

The angles of incidence of the lanes 4, 5, 6, and their curvatures aredi erent and established in such a way as to obtain a convenientdistribution of the pression and depressions on said planes.

The angle of incidence of the upper plane 4 is smaller than that of thelower plane 6, and the intermediate plane 5 has an angle of incidencecomprised between those of the other two. Moreover, the curvature on theback of surface shall be such as to cause the highest depression, whilethe curvature underneath the'surface 6 shall be such as to cause thehighest compression.

The car 19 is mounted through the front body and comprises theaviator-seat, the control devices and rearward the motor 20 driving thepropeller 21. Two furthermotors 22, 23, are arranged on the forward endsof the fuselages 1, 2, which ends project outside the front frame.

The motors 22, 23, are connected directly to-the pro ellers 24, 2 5.

The an ing carriage comprises three sets of wheels 26, 27, 28. The sets26, 27, are alike and are mounted underneath the front body symmetricallarranged in respect to the central line of the apparatus, and theuprights 14 and fuselages 1, 2. The frames 0 such sets of wheels are soconstructed as to distribute the several strains caused by landing andbesides to reduce the resistance of air to progressive movement. Thefitting up of wheels on their frames is effected by suitable elasticmeans in order to have a convenient elastic reaction to the strainscaused by landing.

The frames 29 are so made of compound wood that they will be free fromdistortion and are fiat in form. Said flat frame is fixed its upper endto longitudinal frame 30 32 by means of upright 33. Between thelongitudinal frames 30 and 32 and the center of arm 31 are rigidlyarranged the strengthening bars 34, 35.

The axles, 36 37 of the two couples of wheels 38, 39 (Fi 5) are suported at their centers by arm-'3 and are tie up by cables or elasticbands, preferably consisting of caoutehouc, The axles 36, 37, areconnected to one another by means of metallic rods 42, through a joint,such rods being surrounded by elastic bands 43 that tie them up to arms31. The fore axle 36 is connected by means of rods 44 to the ends of arocking member 45, such member bei-n connected by its center through ajoint 6 to support 47, fixed on the curved part of frame 29.

Underneath each rod 42 is arran ed a stay 48, as well as an extensibleuprig t 49, such arrangement having for its 0b ect to convenientlydistribute strains onsaid rod.

The chassis of the landing carriage comprises further a forward pair ofwheels 28 their axle 51 being elastically connected to frame 52. Frame52, formed as a doublearmed lever, is connected to a.suppo rt1n g bodyof which the main upright 54 1S elastically connected to the upper endof frame 52 by means of elastic ties 55; 56 1s a stay to balance thestrain on the elastic tie 55 caused by landing.

The rear skid.57 is joined to frame 58 in the same way as frame 52 tothe body .53, 54,

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of mysaidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is 1. A multigil'ane flying machine comprising in comination two fuselages symmetrically arranged with respect to the centerline of the apparatus, two motors arranged on the forward ends of saidfuselages, propellers attached to said motors, a tail plane and ahorizontal rudder mounted at the rear end of said fuselages, threevertical rudders rotatably mounted at the rear end of said fuselages andmeans to rotate said vertical rudders simultaneously; afront bodyconsisting of three lanes arranged one above the other and w erein theangle of incidence of the upper plane is smaller than that of the lowerplane and the middle lane has an an 1e of incidence comprised beweenthose of t e others, two series of uprights for securing the saidarrangement of the planes arranged in two rows respectively on the frontan on the regrof the said forward body, the first row of upri hts havintheir ends fixed respectively to t e forwar longitudinal frames of theupper and lower lane and their center attached to the middle plane, thesecond row of upri hts havin one end connected to the rear ongitudinaframes of the central plane and havin the other ends connected to thelongitu inal frames of the upper and lower planes, diagonal membersconsisting of stay wires, metallic cross pieces for fixing stay wires sothat they adjoin the ends of said uprights, a car mounted through thefront body and comprising the aviator seat, the control devices, andrearward a third motor on said car driving a propeller.

2. A landing carriage for a multiplane flying machine comprising incombination a chassis formed of compound wood which is fiat in form andconstitutes a frame, three sets of wheels to said chassis, two setsbeing alike, a lower frame curved rearward and formed into an arm,longitudinal members on the chassis, an upright for connecting the saidarm to one of sa1d longitudinal members, strengthening bars rigidlyarranged between said arm and said longitudinal members of the chassis,axles for the two sets of wheels, bearings for said axles on the centerpart of the frame arm, metallic rods connecting said axles to oneanother, elastic bands for connecting to ther the frame, the axles andthe metallic rods, a rocking member on the frame, rods connecting saidmember to the fore axle, a support fixed 'on the flat frame andconnected at its center through a joint to the said rockin member, a stamember underneath eac metal ic rods, an upright member for stretchingsaid stay, a frame for the third pair of wheels in the form of a doublearmed lever, means for connecting the axle of the said wheelselastically thereto, a supporting bod connected to the said frame a mainu rig t on the said body, means for elastica 1y connecting the u per endof the said double armed lever to the main upright and a stay to balancethe strain on the said elastic connection.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses FEDERICO CAPRONI.

Witnesses;

E. E. Euonnnnr, A. P. Comma.

of said-

